Centrophorus squamosus (Bonnaterre, 1788)

Leafscale Gulper Shark

Squalus squamosus Bonnaterre, 1788: 12 . Holotype: MNHN A-7829 (head only). Type locality: no locality stated (probably eastern North Atlantic).

Local synonymy: Centroscymnus fuscus: Gilchrist & von Bonde, 1924: 2 (original description, off St. Helena Bay, 32°S, l 6°E, west coast of South Africa, holotype lost); Barnard, 1925: 51; Smith 1949a: 58; Smith, 1965: 58. Lepidorhinus squamosus: Smith, 1967b: 119; Penrith, 1969: 64. Encheiridiodon hendersoni Smith, 1967b: 129, pls. 24–27 (original description,Algoa Bay, South Africa, holotype SAIAB [formerly RUSI] 663). Centrophorus squamosus: Hulley, 1971: 265, fig. 1; Bass et al., 1976: 28, fig. 19; Compagno, 1984a: 43, fig.; Bass et al., 1986: 51, fig. 5.4; Compagno et al., 1989: 24, pl.; Compagno et al., 1991: 55; Ebert et al., 1992: 602; Compagno, 1999: 114; Compagno et al., 2005: 86, fig., pl. 4; Ebert, 2013: 68, fig. 77; Ebert et al., 2013 a: 105, fig., pl. 6; Ebert & Mostarda, 2013: 27, fig.; Ebert, 2015: 64, fig. 68; Ebert & Mostarda, 2015: 21, fig.; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 144; Compagno, 2016: 1173; Weigmann, 2016: 890.

South Africa voucher material: SAIAB 663 [Holotype: Encheiridiodon hendersoni] . SAIAB 26282, SAIAB 99355, SAIAB 99356, SAIAB 99357, SAIAB 99358, SAIAB 99359, SAIAB 99361, SAIAB 99362, SAIAB 99363, SAIAB 99364, SAM 24029, SAM 17161 .

South Africa distribution: The Orange River (NC) to the northern KZN border with Mozambique.

Remarks: Smith (1967b), based on a dead specimen collected by the spearfisher in 3–4 m depth, described a new genus and species of gulper shark Encheiridiodon hendersoni, but the specimen is actually a C. squamosus . Hulley (1971) tentatively synonymized Centroscymnus fuscus with this species, but details of its original description suggest it may have been C. coelolepis . Unfortunately, the holotype of C. fuscus is lost.

Conservation status: EN (2020).